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For the second time in their last three games the Capitals didn’t show up as Jussi Jokinen put in two goals, one shorthanded and the other on the power play, Jiri Tlusty added a late power play goal, as the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Washington Capitals 3-0 for their first win over the Capitals this season.

“It hurts a lot, that’s for sure, we were getting out worked on the power play,” Caps forward Troy Brouwer said on giving up a shorthanded goal in the first period. “We were pathetic out there.”

The last time the Caps out shot an opponent was January 3rd, they’ve played eight games since then. Also the Caps have hit 30 shots once in their last 17 games. Tonight the Caps were out shot 33-23 and didn’t cycle the puck, had no offensive pressure and looked lethargic all night. The Caps have also been shut out in two of their last three games after not being shut out in their first 43 games of the season.

“It’s a worst feeling than normal when you don’t even get a goal and it’s frustrating too,” Caps defenseman Karl Alzner said. “We had a couple close chances but we didn’t give ourselves enough opportunity to even score.”

The lone bright spot for the Caps was the play of Tomas Vokoun. He stopped 30 shots, but one was a shorthanded breakaway and the other two were when the Hurricanes were on the power play. Vokoun made some spectacular saves and was the only reason the game was so close.

“He [Vokoun] was the only bright part of our game tonight,” Troy Brouwer said.

But even Vokoun get’s frustrated when the team doesn’t score any goals and he plays terrific.

The Caps power play struggled going 0 for 3 while giving up a shorthanded goal. Capitals Head Coach Dale Hunter said it was self inflicted mistakes with the extra man and not something the Hurricanes were doing. He also added,

“We made bad decisions with the puck and it cost us.”

The Caps, who are 6-4 in their last ten games, don’t have a lot of time to think about this one as they head to Pittsburgh to play the rival Penguins for a 12:30 pm Sunday start to end a three game road trip.

“We have to do a better job offensively, obviously, we’re not getting anything, Caps defensive Dennis Wideman said. “Even when we do get it down there it’s very short-lived in their zone and we have to do a better job, D [defense] might have to start pinching more we got to find a way to get more pucks to the net, that’s about the end of it.”